Investigating officer Ashok Duraphe said, ''We have filed a chargesheet against Gawli and seven others under the stringent Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) before Judge Y D Shinde.'' All of them were charged under sections 3(1)(ii), 3(4) and 4 of MCOCA, along with Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, he added.

Gawli was arrested on April 21 for extorting money from a city-based builder. The others have been arrested for allegedly extorting money from the builder from October 2005 till May 2006.

The builder was allegedly brought to Dagdi Chawl, where Gawli resided, and was asked to pay around Rs 50 lakh. The builder paid the money in two instalments.

Later, when the builder bagged a new project at Prabhadevi in November 2006, he again started receiving extortion calls and was again asked to visit Dagdi Chawl. The builder then lodged a complaint with the police in this regard.